Delicious butternut squash with spicy feta topping

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1.2 kg butternut squash
• 2 onions, white
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp harissa powder
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp honey, liquid
• 1 tsp paprika powder, hot
• 300 g feta cheese
• 1 handful of walnuts, chopped, if desired
• 1 some parsley, chopped

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Turn on the oven and preheat to 200°C (top/bottom heat), fan oven: 180°C (fan oven: 180°C), gas: see manufacturer’s instructions. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Peel the outside of the pumpkins, halve them, and scrape out the seeds. Place the pumpkin halves on a board with the cut sides down and cut into deep, fan-shaped incisions about 4-5 mm apart, but do not cut all the way through. This works best if two chopsticks or pencils are placed parallel to the pumpkin on the left and right. Peel the onions, halve them, and cut into thin strips. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix the harissa powder with about 2-3 tablespoons of oil, maple syrup to taste, the onion strips, and the finely chopped garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper and coat the pumpkin halves evenly, including the undersides. Place the pumpkin halves cut sides down on the prepared baking tray. Insert two bay leaves into the slits of each pumpkin half. Cover the pumpkin halves with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil after about 30 minutes. Check the doneness, as this can vary depending on the size. Drizzle the pumpkins with honey, dust with hot paprika, and bake for another 15–20 minutes. Just before the end of the cooking time, generously crumble the feta cheese over them. If you prefer the walnut option, sprinkle them over the pumpkins now as well. Serve the pumpkins hot. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired, and drizzle with another drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a fresh green salad and a fruity white or sparkling wine.